Stay Hydrated Throughout Your Marketing Career

Whether you’re still wearing your cap and gown and clutching a brand-new marketing degree or you have spent decades in the industry, you need to stay hydrated in the marathon that is your career.

Stay Hydrated Throughout Your Marketing CareerOf course, it’s not literal water; it’s metaphorical water. One’s professional life is (we hope) a marathon, and you need to take care of it in much the same way you would for a long-distance foot race. Here are a few tips that both beginners and experienced folks can use to stay on the right track throughout a career.

1. Before the race

In a marathon, proper hydration begins long before you reach the start line. In your career, this is going to be the years of experience that you can reference at any time and draw knowledge from. Why not sit down and really think about some of your wins? Share those again, this time out loud. For the new guys, this is about going out there and getting that experience – an entry-level position, an internship or a part-time job. Soak up all the information you can! Ask your higher-ups about their biggest wins and how they got there. Now for both groups: join a club. Yeah, you read that right. Join a club that is aligned with your career interests, or even something off kilter. You’d be surprised what you can learn from a fresh group of people or a new hobby.

2. The starting line

Once you’re in the race, it’s important to make hydration a priority. To the more experienced cats, that means setting some new, ambitious goals for yourself. Have one position-oriented goal, while another is focused on the culture in your company. Set higher quotas for yourself while starting a new committee – like for volunteering or team building. And to the young whippersnappers, find your fantasy company and the perfect job within that organization. Do your research. Really learn what that company does, what sets it apart, its culture and what you can do to take it to the next level. This can be done by following the company and their thought leaders on social media and reading press releases and interviews. No matter where you are in your career, participate in networking events.

3. Staying hydrated for the long haul

Once you’re feeling rejuvenated, keep it that way. There are two ways to go about this: further interaction with industry professionals and developing new ideas. First, continue making friends within your industry by regularly attending conferences and webinars. These can be great places to draw inspiration from and to chat out dilemmas you might encounter. Then continue to develop your ideas by researching new tools and processes for your clients and other employees. Discovering new ways of doing something can be one of the most empowering feelings.

Your career is a long journey. But if you take time to take care of yourself, you’ll be feeling great all along the course instead of dragging your feet. If you keep your mind hydrated with new ideas and interactions, you’ll cross the finish line with energy to spare.